Godfrey threw for 294 yards on 15-of-19 and added 105 rushing yards for the Knights (7-2, 5-0 C-USA), who have won their last 11 conference games. Jamar Newsome caught 5 passes for 123 yards, and A.J. Guyton finished with four receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown for UCF.

David Piland threw for 334 yards and four touchdowns while throwing two costly interceptions, and Patrick Edwards caught 10 balls for 162 yards with three scores for Houston (5-4, 3-2), who had won two straight entering Friday.

After Houston missed an extra point, the Cougars were down 40-33 with 5:46 remaining in the game. UCF missed a 39-yard field goal attempt on its next drive that gave Houston that ball on their own 22-yard line with 1:53 remaining.

Piland led the Cougars to their own 46, but was unable to advance any further. Each of his final three passes fell incomplete, and the Knights ran out the final 46 seconds of the game.

UCF led 7-3 after the first, scoring on a Newsome interception that Bruce Miller took 15 yards for the score. Matt Hogan notched a 30-yard field goal in the quarter for the Cougars.

Godfrey threw for two touchdowns in the second, but Nick Cattoi's extra point attempt was blocked on the first score to give the Knights a 20-3 lead in the opening minutes of the quarter.

Houston responded with a Piland 33-yard touchdown pass to Edwards with 3:10 remaining, and Cattoi added a 18-yard field goal as time expired to cut the Cougars' deficit to 23-10 at halftime.

Houston opened the third with two scoring drives, both culminating in Piland touchdown passes, to take the lead, 24-23, with 8:12 left in the quarter. Godfrey added his rushing touchdown when he recovered his own fumble in the end zone to give the Knights a 30-24 lead heading into the final stanza.

Houston opened the fourth with a 34-yard field goal from Hogan at 13:14 to cut the UCF lead to 30-27. The Knights added two more scoring drives, a Murray 2- yard run and another Cattoi field goal to lead 40-27 with 7:16 remaining.

Houston scored on their next drive when Piland and Edwards connected for their third score of the game. Hogan's extra point went wide left, leaving the Cougars down by seven.